Acta expecting wins, not excuses

CLEVELAND - Kicked around and given little chance to contend, the Cleveland Indians might be ready to fight back this season.

CLEVELAND - Kicked around and given little chance to contend, the Cleveland Indians might be ready to fight back this season.

Manager Manny Acta has heard all the reasons why the Indians, who lost 93 games last season, are supposed to struggle again this year. But there's not much he can do about the team's woes: small payroll, dipping attendance.

And there's not much he can do about his roster. While a few of their American League Central competitors threw money around in free agency this past winter, the Indians were conservative - or cheap, as some of their fans insist.

But the enthusiastic Acta has a positive outlook on life that's matched by his view for the Indians. He has heard the frightful predictions, and he's not buying them.

"I expect to win," he said. "That's our message. I'm basing that on the second half of last season. We did well, and I'm counting on these young guys not taking a step back. They had enough experience.

"I don't think that youth or payroll or anything should stop us from winning ballgames."

The Indians were overrun by key injuries last season, leading to a distant fourth-place finish in the division, 25 games behind the Minnesota Twins. It's a long climb back to the top, but Acta believes his club is poised to make it.

"We are not rebuilding," he said. "Just because we weren't able to land two or three of the most expensive free agents, that doesn't mean that we're rebuilding. We have the pieces."

Last year, the vital pieces were broken.

All-Star center fielder Grady Sizemore, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and catcher Carlos Santana went down with major injuries, a devastating blow that gutted the defense and carved the heart out of the lineup.

The Indians promoted youngsters such as Michael Brantley, Trevor Crowe, Jason Donald, Jayson Nix, Carlos Carrasco and Josh Tomlin, unknown players who had no choice but to take their lumps while learning on the fly.

It was a rough ride, but the Indians' 35-39 record in the second half was the division's third best, an improvement that has the club's front office asking for more.

Winning will be difficult enough, and the task will be tougher because the Indians won't be whole when the season starts.

Sizemore is still recovering from microfracture left knee surgery, and it might be weeks before he's back in center field and atop the lineup.

The locals haven't embraced the latest Indians incarnation. The club drew just 1.3 million at home last season, a major-league low and the fewest fans in Cleveland since 1992. To get them back, the Indians need to win.

The offense has talent. Choo was the only AL player to hit .300 with 20 homers and 20 steals last season. Those numbers could swell hitting in front of Santana, who didn't flinch when he was tossed into the cleanup spot upon his arrival from the Clippers.

Cleveland's rotation is top heavy. Fausto Carmona must build off a 13-win season, and the club's all-right-handed rotation of Justin Masterson, Mitch Talbot, Carrasco and Tomlin has to give Acta big innings. Chris Perez emerged as one of the AL's top closers.

Acta sees the Indians' glass as half full. They don't have many stars, but he thinks they do have enough to win.

"We may have a question mark here and there, but we have some bright spots," Acta said.

To win, the Indians need the bright spots to shine.

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